Marine winch

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a marine winch for hauling sheets, lifts, halyards and analogous tackle. The invention provides a winch having a circular main casing adapted to be fixed to a deck, a winch drum rotatable about the axis of an upper generally cylindrical turret of said casing, first unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the drum and the turret and permitting relative rotation between the drum and the turret in one direction only; a circular sub-casing having an upper sleeve portion extending through and coaxial with said turret, said sub-casing being rotatable about the axis of the turret, second unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the sleeve and the drum and permitting relative rotation between said sleeve and said from in one direction of rotation only, an operating spindle located axially of the turret and rotatable relative thereto, gearing adapted to transmit drive from said operating spindle to a flared circular lower part of said rotatable sub-casing, said gearing including two output gear wheels engaging diametrally opposite regions of a toothed ring formed within said flared circular lower portion of said rotatable sub-casing. Preferably the gearing is arranged to drive the output gear wheels in two ratios of say 3.5 : 1 and 11 : 1 selectable on rotating the operating spindle in opposite directions.

United States Patent [191 Lawrence [1 1 3,711,065 1 Jan. 16,1973

ABSTRACT The invention provides a winch having a circular main casing adapted to be fixed to a deck, a winch drum rotatable about the axis of an upper generally cylindrical turret of said casing, first unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the drum and the turret and permitting relative rotation between the drum and the turret in one direction only; a circular sub-casing having an upper sleeve portion extending through and coaxial with said turret, said sub-casing being rotatable about the axis of the turret, second unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the sleeve and the drum and permitting relative rotation between said sleeve and said from in one direction of rotation only, an operating spindle located axially of the turret and rotatable relative thereto, gearing adapted to transmit drive from said operating spindle to a flared circular lower part of said rotatable sub-casing, said gearing including two output gear wheels engaging diametrally opposite regions of a toothed ring formed within said flared circular lower portion of said rotatable sub-casing.

Preferably the gearing is arranged to drive the output gear wheels in two ratios of say 3.5 l and ll l selectable on rotating the operating spindle in opposite directions.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures [541 MARINE WINCH [76] Inventor: Christopher John Lawrence, 98 The Arches, Ravenscourt Place, London, England [22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1971 [2l] Appl. No.: 109,484

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 9, 1970 Great Britain ..6,l70/70 [52] US. Cl ..254/150 R, 74/812, 192/4892 [Sl] Int. Cl. ..B66d l/30 [58] Field of Search ..254/150; 74/812; 192/4892 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,62l,730 ll/l97l Jennings "192/4892 261,530 7/1882 Coffin ..254/150 l,424,990 8/1922 Coyle et al. ..254/150 3,581,854 6/l97l Versoy 254/150 X 3,145,974 8/1964 Short ..254/150 3,536,299 lO/l970 McCloud et al..... ..254/150 1,368,248 2/l92l Ditson ..254/150 309,477 l2/l884 Luther ..254/150 Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner--Merle F. Maffei Attorney-Shoemaker & Mattare PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 3.711.065

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ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 SHEET 5 BF 6 Hk gyroawltit on/v [mop awe ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAH 16 I975 SHEET 6 OF 6 AT TORN EYS MARINE WINCH This invention relates to a marine winch for hauling sheets, lifts, halyards and analogous tackle.

The invention provides a winch having a circular main casing adapted to be fixed to a deck, a winch drum rotatable about the axis of an upper generally cylindrical turret of said casing, first unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the drum and the turret and permitting relative rotation between the drum and the turret in one direction only; a circular sub-casing having an upper sleeve portion extending through and coaxial with said turret, said sub-casing being rotatable about the axis of the turret, unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the sleeve and the drum and permitting relative rotation between said sleeve and said drum in one direction of rotation only, an operating spindle located axially of the turret and rotatable relative thereto, gearing adapted to transmit drive from said operating'spindle to a flared circular lower part of said rotatable subcasing, said gearing including two output gear wheels engaging diametrally opposite regions of a toothed ring formed within said flared circular lower portion of said rotatable sub-casing.

Preferably the gearing is arranged to drive the output gear wheels in two ratios of say 3.5 l and II l selectable on rotating the operating spindle in opposite directions. To this end the operating spindle has at its lower end two drive wheels. A first one of these drive wheels is coupled to the spindle to rotate at all times therewith and said first wheel drives the two output wheels through two pairs of intermediate wheels, the wheels of each pair being coupled together through the medium of a third unidirectional clutch so that one wheel of the pair drives the other wheel of the pair in one direction only. The spindle is coupled to its second drive wheel through the medium of a fourth unidirectional clutch and said second drive wheel is, on diametrally opposite sides, in toothed engagement with the output wheels. I

The unidirectional clutches employed are preferably sprag clutches operating between smooth coaxial cylindrical surfaces.

The winch drum and the sub-casing are supported for rotation on the main casing by roller bearings.

One embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIGS. 1A and 1B are cross sectional views taken in the vertical plane passing through the centers of the two diametrally opposed output wheels, FIGS. 1A and 18 being views of the parts of the winch on the respective sides of its axis;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view partly cutaway illustrating the relative dispositions of the intermediate and output gear wheels;

FIG. 3 is a plan view on two levels illustrating the output drive path through the intermediate gears;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the relative positions of the various gear wheels and their associated unidirectional clutches;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a single unidirectional clutch;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the clutch shown in FIG. 5.

In the drawings 1 generally represents a circular main casing member adapted to be fixed to a deck, rooftop or analogous component of a marine vessel. The main casing 1 has an upper generally cylindrical turret region 2 and flared bottom region 3 housing gearing means described below.

4 represents a baseplate secured to the flared bottom region 3 ofthe main casing 1. I

A winch drum 6 is rotatable about the axis of the upper generally cylindrical turret 2 of the casing 1, its rotational movement being supported by roller bearings 7a, 7b and 70.

In the drawing the winch drum 6 is a composite member formed by an internal sleeve 60 and an'external portion 6b shaped in conventional winch drum manner.

10 represents a first unidirectional clutch device operating between smooth cylindrical surfaces on the exterior of turret 2 and on the interior of the drum sleeve 60 respectively. Such first unidirectional clutch means 10 are effective to permit relative rotation between the drum 6 and the turret 2 in one direction only.

11 represents a circular sub-casing having an upper sleeve portion 11a extending through and coaxial with the turret 2. Splined on to the upper end portion of sleeve portion 11a and secured by a nut 16, is an annular abutment element 12, the sub-casing 11 and the abutment element 12 being supported for rotation about the axis of turret 2 by roller bearings 13 and 14.

The abutment element 12 has in its upper regiona cylindrical surface 12a and between such surface and the internal cylindrical surface of the drum sleeve there is operatively located second unidirectional clutch means 20.

21 represents an operating spindle located axially of the turret 2 and rotatable relative thereto, supported by an upper bearing assembly 21a and a lower bearing as sembly 23 carried by baseplate 4.

At its upper end the operating spindle has a socket 24 shown in FIG. 2 for receiving a correspondingly shaped end of an operating lever. Its lower end is splined to a sleeve 21b.

The gearing mounted on baseplate 4 and within the lower flared part 3 of the casing 1 is adapted to transmit drive from the sleeve 21b splined to the operating spindle 21, to a flared lower portion 11b of the rotatable sub-casing 11. Such gearing essentially includes two output gear wheels 25 and 26 engaging diametrally opposite regions of a toothed ring 27 formed within the flared circular lower portion 11b of the subcasing III In the embodiment shown the gearing is arranged to drive the output gear wheels 25 and 26 u nidirectiona'lly in one of two alternative ratios of say 3.5 1 and I1 l and such alternative ratios are selectable on rotating the operating spindle 21 in opposite directions. To achieve this the operating spindle 21 has at its lower end two drive gear wheels 31 and 32.

The drive gear wheel 31 is integral with sleeve 21b and hence rotates at all times with the spindle 21. The Wheel 31 drives the output wheels 25 and 26 through two pairs of intermediate gear assemblies, one of which is indicated generally at 33 in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Each intermediate gear assembly 33 comprises a large gear wheel 33a adapted to drive a smaller gear wheel 33b through the medium of a third unidirectional clutch means 30 located within the large wheel 33a.

Thus when the wheel 31 is driven in one direction drive is transmitted to wheel 33b while if the wheel 31 is rotated in the opposite direction, the unidirectional clutch 30 situated within wheel 33a will override, and relative rotation will be allowed between wheels 33a and 33b.

The smaller gear wheel 33b of the intermediate gear assembly 33 is in mesh with output drive wheel 25 (or 26) and the two assemblies 33 are located diametrally opposite one another within the lower flared part 3 of the main casing 1.

The second drive wheel 32 is meshed directly with the output drive wheels 25 and 26. However, fourth unidirectional clutch means 40, in this case a pair of clutches, are operatively located to transmit drive to the wheel 32 from the spindle 21, such drive being transmitted only when the spindle 21 is rotated in the direction in which as described above, the third unidirectional clutch means within intermediate gear wheel 33a override. Ball race assemblies 22 support rotational movement of drive wheel 32 relative to operating spindle 21.

It will be appreciated from the above that when the spindle 21 is rotated in one direction, drive is taken through wheels 31, 33a, 33b, 25, 26 to tooth ring 27 while when the spindle is rotated in the opposite direction, drive is taken by way of fourth unidirectional clutch 40, toothed wheel 32, output drive wheels 25 and 26 to toothed ring 27.

Irrespective of the direction of rotation of spindle 21, the sub-casing 11 will be driven in only one direction. Rotation of the sub-casing 11 will, by way of second unidirectional clutch 20, be transmitted to winch drum 6. Winch drum 6 is .prevented from reverse rotation relative to casing l by first unidirectional clutch 10. However, due to the presence of the second unidirectional clutch 20 the winch drum 6 can be rotated relative to sub-casing 11 in one direction only, for example, when manual hauling of the sheets, lifts, halyards or the like is required without resort to the mechanical advantage provided by the gearing.

The unidirectional clutches 10, 20, 30, 40 employed in the winch are preferably sprag clutches operating between smooth coaxial cylindrical surfaces.

FIG. illustrates one of the intermediate gear assemblies 33 having a large gear wheel 33a arranged to rotate about a spindle 33c which is either rigidly attached to or integral with a gear wheel 33b (not shown in this Figure). Located between a cylindrical surface 33d of the large gear wheel 33a and the cylindrical surface of the spindle 33c is a unidirectional sprag clutch 30.

This is shown in detail in FIG. 6 and comprises a series of identical bone shaped sprag members 60 located in windows in three concentric locating rings 61, 62 and 63, the intermediate ring 62 of which may be of spring steel.

When the outer cylindrical surface 33d is rotated relative to the cylindrical surface of the spindle 330 in anti-clockwise direction (referring to FIG. 6) the bone shaped sprag members are permitted by their locating rings to take up positions which are noticeably inclined to the radii of the assembly while when the surface 33d is rotated in the opposite direction the sprags tend towards taking up radial positions and are so shaped that they wedge between the surface 33d and the surface of spindle 33c preventing relative rotation between these surfaces.

It will 'be noted that when relative rotation takes place this will be substantially noiseless as compared with say, a ratchet system. Moreover, the sprags adopt their wedging conditions so rapidly that back play is obviated. v

The gear trains are appropriately manufactured from stainless steel and due to their opposite diametral dispositions there is cancellation of distortional torque effects.

It will be noted that the casing l and base-plate 4 themselves form a substantially closed chamber whose top is closed by the overhung winch drum 6 having screwed to it a cap member 50. The spindle 21 is supported for rotation within cap member 50 by the ball race 21a. Sealing is completed by seals 48, e.g. of neoprene and as a consequence, the interior of casing 1 will retain lubricant for substantially indefinite periods.

The invention provides a winch which is substantially silent in operation, which has low friction and which provides alternative ratios of mechanical advantage and whose longevity is guaranteed due to the balancing of the torque distortion effects which would be created in the absence of duplication of the gearing in diametrally opposed fashion. Moreover, due to such balancing the cutting of the teeth of the various gears presents minimal problems. i

lclaim:

l. A marine winch including in combination:

a. a casing adapted to be fixed to a deck and having an upper, generally cylindrical turret;

a winch drum rotatable about the axis of said upper generally cylindrical turret of said casing;

c. first unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the drum and the turret and permitting relative rotation between the drum and the turret in one direction only;

a'circular sub-casing within the casing and having an upper sleeve portion extending through and coaxial with said turret, said sub-casing being rotatable about the axis of the turret; e. second unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the sleeve and the drum, said second unidirectional clutch permitting relative rotation between said sleeve and said drum .in one direction only; I

f. said circular sub-casing having a circular flared lower part and a toothed ring formed within said flared lower part;

g. an operating spindle located axially within the turret and rotatable relative thereto;

h. gearing operatively connected to transmit drive from said operating spindle to said flared circular lower part of said rotatable sub-casing, said gear-- ing including two output gear wheels engaging diametrically opposite regions of said toothed ring formed within said flared circular lower portion of said rotatable sub-casing, the said gearing being arranged to drive the output gear wheels in two ratios selectable on rotating the operating spindle in opposite directions, the operating spindle havg the opposite sides of said first drive wheel, the wheels of each pair being coupled together through a third unidirectional clutch so that one wheel of each pair drives the other wheel of the pair in one direction only, and the spindle being coupled to second drive wheel through a fourth unidirectional clutch, with diametrically opposite sides of said second drive wheel being in direct toothed engagement with the two output gear wheels. A

2. A marine winch according to claim 1., wherein the unidirectional clutches employed are sprag clutches operating between smooth coaxial cylindrical surfaces.

3. A marine winch according to claim 1. wherein the winch drum and the sub-casing are supported for rotation on the main casing by roller bearings. 

1. A marine winch including in combination: a. a casing adapted to be fixed to a deck and having an upper, generally cylindrical turret; b. a winch drum rotatable about the axis of said upper generally cylindrical turret of said casing; c. first unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the drum and the turret and permitting relative rotation between the drum and the turret in one direction only; d. a circular sub-casing within the casing and having an upper sleeve portion extending through and coaxial with said turret, said sub-casing being rotatable about the axis of the turret; e. second unidirectional clutch means operatively located between the sleeve and the drum, said second unidirectional clutch permitting relative rotation between said sleeve and said drum in one direction only; f. said circular sub-casing having a circular flared lower part and a toothed ring formed within said flared lower part; g. an operating spindle located axially within the turret and rotatable relative thereto; h. gearing operatively connected to transmit drive from said operating spindle to said flared circular lower part of said rotatable sub-casing, said gearing including two output gear wheels engaging diametrically opposite regions of said toothed ring formed within said flared circular lower portion of said rotatable sub-casing, the said gearing being arranged to drive the output gear wheels in two ratios selectable on rotating the operating spindle in opposite directions, the operating spindle having at its lower end two drive wheels, a first one of these drive wheels being coupled to the spindle to rotate at all times therewith and said first drive wheel driving the output wheels through two pairs of intermediate wheels, each wheel of a respective pair being symmetrically located on diametrically opposite sides of said first drive wheel, the wheels of each pair being coupled together through a third unidirectional clutch so that one wheel of each pair drives the other wheel of the pair in one direction only, and the spindle being coupled to the second drive wheel through a fourth unidirectional clutch, with diametrically opposite sides of said second drive wheel being in direct toothed engagement with the two output gear wheels.
 2. A marine winch according to claim 1., wherein the unidirectional clutches employed are sprag clutches operating between smooth coaxial cylindrical surfaces.
 3. A marine winch according to claim
 1. wherein the winch drum and the sub-casing are supported For rotation on the main casing by roller bearings. 